Thread: Sunderland v United: Preview

Sir Alex Ferguson is confident Liverpool will not "throw away their history" by standing aside for Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday.

Manchester United head into the penultimate weekend of the campaign knowing their last realistic chance of overhauling Carlo Ancelotti's side depends on Liverpool avoiding defeat this weekend.

If Chelsea are denied maximum points, United can seize the advantage by beating Sunderland at the Stadium of Light a couple of hours later.

All this has been noted at an increasingly agitated Liverpool.

And quite apart from drawing a veil on what has been a disastrous season for the Merseyside giants, that took another downturn last night with a Europa League semi-final exit at the hands of Atletico Madrid, the sub-plot is United attempting to clinch a record 19th league championship.

That would eclipse Liverpool, a situation that seemed impossible when Ferguson came south from Aberdeen in 1986.

It has led a number of Liverpool supporters to voice their desire for their team to lose, even though it would cost them what slender chance they still have of finishing in the Champions League places.

Ferguson cannot see that eventuality and is convinced Liverpool have too much to lose by not trying.

"I am confident they will do their maximum," he said.

"Great clubs don't throw their history and traditions away for one game.

"They have been in 11 European finals. They have won 18 titles.

"That is a fantastic history. You don't throw that away. The fans know that too.

"Do you think the fans want to go home saying their players capitulated and they didn't try and thinking it wouldn't happen again?"

There is a precedent. On the last day in 1995, United headed to West Ham knowing it would take a victory at Upton Park and a Liverpool win over Blackburn at Anfield to give them the title.

Given Kenny Dalglish was the Blackburn manager, the attachment was arguably even greater.

As it turned out, Liverpool did their job, but United were unable to capitalise.

"We were depending on Liverpool producing - and they did," recalled Ferguson.

"You have to earn a right to win the title. Okay, there were a lot of English players in their team that day and they understood the history of Liverpool FC.

"But I don't think there has been such a swing that the current players do not understand the history of Liverpool."

Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand are set to return from groin strains in time to feature for the Reds.

Rooney sat out last weekend’s victory over Tottenham, while Ferdinand has missed two matches since he suffered his injury at Blackburn.

Ferguson has never lost to a team managed by United old boy Steve Bruce, although Sunderland have lost just twice at home in the league this season.

Sunderland full-back Alan Hutton will miss the game through suspension.

Hutton was sent off after clashing with Jozy Altidore during last weekend’s 1-0 win at Hull, but had his ban reduced from three games to one on appeal.

Central defender Michael Turner, who was substituted at half-time against his former club with an arm injury, has returned to training and is in contention.

John Mensah (hamstring) and Lee Cattermole (calf) have also trained in recent days and could figure, but Andy Reid, who had surgery on a calf problem this week, and George McCartney (hamstring) are out.

Sunderland (from) Gordon, Carson, Bardsley, Turner, Mensah, Ferdinand, Kilgallon, Da Silva, Cana, Cattermole, Zenden, Richardson, Malbranque, Henderson, Campbell, Bent, Jones, Benjani, Meyler, Liddle.

Manchester United (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Foster, Neville, O’Shea, Rafael, De Laet, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Carrick, Hargreaves, Scholes, Fletcher, Park, Gibson, Obertan, Valencia, Giggs, Nani, Berbatov, Rooney, Macheda, Diouf.

Sunderland league form: LWLWW

United league form: WLDWW

Key opponent: Darren Bent - 25 goals this season says it all

Prediction: Sunderland 1 United 2 - United's extra motivation and quality should see them through

Agree with the prediction? Have your say.

Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand could return for Manchester United at Sunderland on Sunday.

The pair have both been suffering from groin injuries, Rooney having aggravated the problem in training last week on top of the ankle injury he picked up during the second leg of the Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich, whilst Ferdinand suffered his at Blackburn earlier this month and has since missed two Barclays Premier League games.

With victory at the Stadium of Light potentially decisive in the Premier League title race, Sir Alex Ferguson is anxious to have the pair available.

And both will train ahead of a likely return against Steve Bruce's men, who have only lost twice on home soil this season.

Draw at Anfield.
Victory up North.

And it's all ours baby.

A win for Liverpool would be even better they still need to qualify for europe?

SUNDAY
Liverpool v Chelsea (1330 BST)

This one is hard to call as so much will depend on the outcome of Liverpool's Europa League semi-final with Atletico Madrid on Thursday, and how players come through that.
They could be looking at the prospect of being in a Cup final but they have got to go for fourth in the Premier League table - and they've only had two home defeats all season - but there's no Fernando Torres up front now, and somehow I feel by hook or by crook, Chelsea will win it.
Prediction: 1-2


Sunderland v Manchester United (1600 BST)

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce could effectively kill off his old boss Sir Alex Ferguson's title hopes here. There is no pressure on Sunderland, they could have striker Kenwyne Jones back and in Darren Bent, they have got someone in outstanding form, so it should be a really open game - but United will win.
They won't be worried about how they play, all that matters is the result. I've always felt United will win their last three games, so the title will come down to whether Chelsea can do the same?
Prediction: 0-2


By Mark Lawrenson
BBC Sport football expert

Sunderland 0 United 1: Player ratings

May 02, 2010
VAN DER SAR: One superb flying save from Malbranque was as much as he was asked to do 7
O'SHEA: A touch rusty at times but was never seriously exposed 6
EVANS: Easily on top of his old academy and reserve team mate Campbell 7
VIDIC: Never gave England World Cup hopeful Bent a sniff of a chance 7
EVRA: Up and down the left flank with purpose all afternoon but never forgot his defensive duites 7
NANI: Took his goal well but he could have caused Sunderland far more damage 6
FLETCHER: We didnt get the normal Fletcher imprint on the midfield proceedings 6
SCHOLES: Moments of typical Scholes but then disappeared from the match at times 6
GIGGS: Glimpses of his best rather than a sustained display of class Giggs 6
ROONEY: Never looked back to his sharpest and it was a frustrating afternoon 5
BERBATOV Missed a couple of great chances and he cut a forlorn figure 5
Substitutes
CARRICK (sub Berbatov 71) One chance kicked off line 5
FERDINAND (sub Fletcher 87)
HARGREAVES (sub Nani 90)
Not used: Brown, Park, Macheda, Foster
Sunderland: Gordon, Bardsley, Mensah (Kilgallon 17), Turner, Richardson, Henderson (Jones 74), Malbranque, Meyler (Cattermole 37), Cana, Campbell , Bent
Goals:
Sunderland:
United: Nani (28)
Bookings: Sunderland: Malbranque (81) Richardson (85)
United: Vidic (41) Rooney (54)

Well i was there and Berbatov seemed like an awful waste of money.

And Rooney deserved at least a 7 in my book.

That was from the Manchester Evening News^

Originally Posted by slimboyfat

Berbatov seemed like an awful waste of money.

Berbaflop IS an awfull waste of money, no point in defending the bloke anymore.
Fergie, please do the right thing & flog him in the summer. Couple of pints and some cheese & onion crips should do the trick.

Good to see Liverpool (and esp. Gerrard) bending over like the big girls blouses that they are and taking it up the arse by the chavs. Didn't think they'd do us any favours. Hope they enjoy the Europa League again next season.